Dire que ça si dandine avec un petit air... c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have "Dire que ça se dandine avec un petit air…," a lithograph by Honoré Daumier from around the 19th century. The linear hatching makes the figures pop right out of the newsprint! There is definitely some commentary on social classes going on. How do you interpret this work through its composition? Curator: From a formalist perspective, the effectiveness of this lithograph relies on Daumier's masterful manipulation of line and form. Note the strategic deployment of hatching to sculpt volume and define the textures of the garments. Observe how the rigid, almost architectural lines of the man's trousers contrast with the softer, flowing lines delineating the woman's dress. It’s within this juxtaposition that meaning emerges, yes? Editor: Right. And I notice the child-like figure… It looks as if Daumier used a different application for the lithograph. The figure is not as prominent as the adults. How might the child and the murky ground layer meaning in this image? Curator: The ground, treated with a similar lightness as the child, provides an interesting base. We can read it, using semiotics, as symbolic ground: unstable and uncertain, representative of the tenuous nature of societal positions. What about Daumier's choice of black and white rather than colour to layer meaning within the social commentary? Editor: Using the lithographic process creates these wonderful and detailed images that may comment on larger reproducibility within society. The shading of the figures shows Daumier really pushes this medium to illustrate volume. I see how focusing on the techniques, use of lines, and artistic choices provide clues to interpret what Daumier is trying to illustrate! Curator: Precisely! Through acute observation of these intrinsic qualities, we unlock a deeper understanding of the artist’s intentions. It provides clues to the larger context in this artwork!